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I have recently started training at Templegate Dojo in Bristol, England, under the tutelage of Sensei Mike Narey. We have a great website: www.templegatedojo.org.uk. Please visit and have a look at our club.

Could you let me know what you think about your dojo in Coventry? I was wondering what it was like, since I go there (well, 'went' - the class has been moved to Allesley of all places) for iaido lessons (with Tony Janew sensei). I was considering doing some aikido there since I can't do iaido at present any more (and I do aikido at my university club), and also have more free time (just finished playing a run of a musical at the Arts centre). I phoned about a week ago to ask about beginners starting there; I think I spoke to Mr Moss, but I'm not sure. Whoever it was, he seemed really nice, and said beginners were welcome in any class. But there are so many yuudansha! (or so it seems, anyway...)

Would you mind if I asked a few things about your dojo? I was wondering whether Tom Moss leads all of the lessons, and what the teaching environment is like. What kind of level are most of the students? Have you trained there for a long time? Is it very crowded? It always looks pretty busy on a Sunday, but the dojo floor is pretty big, I guess. I just wonder about doing rolls and things and not bumping into people!

Hope you see this sometime... Don't feel obliged to answer all the questions I asked. They just kind of all came into my head at once.

To the questions. No, Tom doesn't lead all of the classes. There are other instructors from 4th to 2nd Dan, each well worth training with.

I've been at the Dojo for 12 years now (geez, where did it go?).

There are a lot of people on the mat of all grades but there are three mat areas so, if it gets a bit crowded, there's overspill areas. The teaching environment is formal but not militaristic, with a strong emphasis on basics, even for the Yudansha (especially for the Yudansha!). This is the most friendly club I've been to, we all go for a beer after training and there are lots of seminars and social events. E:G there are seminars with Hayden Foster Sensei, Donovan Waite Sensei, Terry Ezra Sensei etc etc planned for this year, plus the "Big three" in Lowestoft.

The best advice I can give anyone is the same as I was given when I went to see my first Aikido lesson "don't hang about out here, take your shoes off and have a go".

I don't mind a formal training atmosphere. In fact, I like one. When I was living in Japan, I learned kendo at the village class; it was much more formal than I imagine most lessons here would be (I don't think as much time is spent on seiza and contemplation over here; Mr Janew (my iaido teacher here) noted a similar difference compared with Japanese-style lessons without my mentioning it - e.g. moving more slowly through the basics; I can back this up ^__^).